Standard 2: Reading Informational Text

Learn about the history and importance of American Founders Month with this interactive research page.

Type: Interactive Research Pages

Learn about the history and importance of Martin Luther King Jr Day with this interactive research page.

Type: Interactive Research Pages

Learn about the history and importance of Patriot Day with this interactive research page.

Type: Interactive Research Pages

Explore the history and importance of Constitution Day with this interactive research page.

Type: Interactive Research Pages

Learn about the history and importance of Celebrate Freedom Week with this interactive research page.

Type: Interactive Research Pages

Discover the history and importance of Veterans Day with this interactive research page.

Type: Interactive Research Pages

Explore the history and meaning of Memorial Day with this interactive research page.

Type: Interactive Research Pages

Learn about the history and importance of Independence Day in the United States of America with this interactive research page.

Type: Interactive Research Pages

This is lesson #9 in the text unit series for I Pledge Allegiance by Bill Martin Jr. and Michael Sampson. In this lesson, students will identify the characteristics of responsible citizenship by compiling examples of classroom citizenship in a teacher directed class discussion, whole group brainstorm map, and creating a class flag that showcases these examples. The class maps will be created by groups of 3 to 4 students. The flags will contain a non-linguistic representation of their groups ideals and class ideals. It should also have connections to their pledge that was written in lesson 8. The class flag can be modeled with the same features and ideas that are represented in our national flag and state flag. Students may use a variety of multimedia elements such as drawing, painting, collage or digital effects. Teachers may reference the students group pledges from lesson 8.

In this unit, students will identify or explain rights and responsibilities in their school community, ways to show respect during the Pledge of Allegiance, symbols of the United States, and symbols that represent Florida as well as demonstrate characteristics of responsible decision-making. Students will engage in a read aloud over several days with lessons that emphasize text features, vocabulary, central idea, and similarities and differences between information provided visually and within text. In addition, the teacher will facilitate research, students' presentations, and artwork as activities to help students demonstrate their knowledge of respect for the Pledge of Allegiance.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, part of a text unit utilizing David A. Adler’s A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin, students will be transported back in time by taking a picture walk and creating an environment like Benjamin Franklin’s era. Students will be reminded that Benjamin Franklin is the main topic of the unit, so it is important to understand the time period he lived in. Students will identify differences they see in the pictures as compared to things they see in today’s world. As they notice the differences, the vocabulary from the text will be introduced.

This unit is focused on identifying Benjamin Franklin as the topic of the text. Civics is integrated through understanding that Benjamin Franklin represents the United States. Students will explore life in the 1700’s to gain background knowledge. Teacher will create an ongoing timeline to document the major events in Ben’s life as key details. Students will solve a real world problem through invention, create a newspaper article to spread news, and write both an expository and opinion piece. The assessment for the unit will be a kite that is a graphic organizer for students to identify the topic and relevant details in a text.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson #1 in the text unit series for George Washington by Philip Abraham, pages 1-11. Students will develop their own definition for targeted civics vocabulary words using illustrations and their background knowledge. They will begin to build background knowledge as they continue to discover why George Washington is an individual who represents the United States.

During this unit, students will use the text, George Washington, to explain how George Washington is an individual that represents our country, how he demonstrated patriotism, and a responsible citizenship. Students will engage in a read aloud spread out over several lessons emphasizing vocabulary, text features, and identifying relevant details the central idea of the text, George Washington. In addition, students will write expository texts that explain why George Washington is recognized as a national symbol/individual and opinion texts identifying characteristics of a responsible citizen.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson #4 in the text unit series for George Washington by Philip Abraham. Students will write an expository text identifying the topic of George Washington as an individual that represents the United States. They will use the text as a source to provide relevant details to support the topic.

During this unit, students will use the text, George Washington, to explain how George Washington is an individual that represents our country, how he demonstrated patriotism, and a responsible citizenship. Students will engage in a read aloud spread out over several lessons emphasizing vocabulary, text features, and identifying relevant details the central idea of the text, George Washington. In addition, students will write expository texts that explain why George Washington is recognized as a national symbol/individual and opinion texts identifying characteristics of a responsible citizen.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson #6 in the text unit series for George Washington by Philip Abraham. During a read aloud, the teacher will explain the terms “responsible citizenship” and “patriotism” and how George Washington was an individual that showed both. During the read aloud, students will use a graphic organizer and text features to identify how George Washington demonstrated patriotism, responsible citizenship, or both. Students will use this information to recognize how citizens can show patriotism, and will describe the characteristics of responsible citizenship. Students will use the information from the graphic organizer to share their new understandings with a partner.

During this unit, students will use the text, George Washington, to explain how George Washington is an individual that represents our country, how he demonstrated patriotism, and a responsible citizenship. Students will engage in a read aloud spread out over several lessons emphasizing vocabulary, text features, and identifying relevant details the central idea of the text, George Washington. In addition, students will write expository texts that explain why George Washington is recognized as a national symbol/individual and opinion texts identifying characteristics of a responsible citizen.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson #2 in the text unit series for George Washington by Philip Abraham. During a read aloud, the teacher will read with students pages 12-22 of the text. With teacher support, students will identify and use picture clues to determine the meaning of unknown vocabulary words and gain knowledge of who George Washington was and how he is an individual that represents our country. With modeling and teacher support, students will complete a vocabulary-based graphic organizer using the visuals in the text to explain the similarities and differences between the vocabulary words and the visuals. Students will use the vocabulary words, picture clues, information provided in the visuals and completed graphic organizer to develop the skills to recognize and explain George Washington as an individual who represents our country.

During this unit, students will use the text, George Washington, to explain how George Washington is an individual that represents our country, how he demonstrated patriotism, and a responsible citizenship. Students will engage in a read aloud spread out over several lessons emphasizing vocabulary, text features, and identifying relevant details the central idea of the text, George Washington. In addition, students will write expository texts that explain why George Washington is recognized as a national symbol/individual and opinion texts identifying characteristics of a responsible citizen.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson 1 in the unit I Pledge Allegiance. In this lesson, students will identify the topic and relevant details from the text and create a poster describing ways they can demonstrate responsible citizenship by showing respect to others and the nation.

This unit will help students identify or explain rights and responsibilities in their school community, ways to show respect during the Pledge of Allegiance, symbols of the United States, symbols that represent Florida and demonstrate characteristics of responsible decision-making. Students will engage in a read aloud over several days with lessons that emphasize text features, vocabulary, central idea, and similarities and differences between information provided visually and within text. In addition, the teacher will facilitate research, students' presentations, and artwork as activities to help students demonstrate their knowledge of respect for the Pledge of Allegiance. In lesson one, students will be making a connection between pledging allegiance to the flag and country to how we show respect to others in our class and community.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will identify the topic of a text and a relevant detail using a civic-focused text. Students will understand the responsibilities of citizens in the community and be able to identify their responsibilities as a student in the school community.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson #4 in the unit, I Pledge Allegiance by Bill Martin, Jr. In this lesson students will learn to identify the topic of a text and recall relevant details using the text, I Pledge Allegiance. Students then use the information gained to write an expository piece about how to show respect for the flag and our country during the Pledge of Allegiance.

In this unit students will identify or explain rights and responsibilities in their school community, ways to show respect during the Pledge of Allegiance, symbols of the United States, symbols that represent Florida and demonstrate characteristics of responsible decision-making. Students will engage in a read aloud over several days with lessons that emphasize text features, vocabulary, central idea, and similarities and differences between information provided visually and within text. In addition, the teacher will facilitate research, students' presentations, and artwork as activities to help students demonstrate their knowledge of respect for the Pledge of Allegiance.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson # 3 of the text unit series for I Pledge of Allegiance by Bill Martin Jr. and Michael Sampson. This lesson will continue lesson #2, building students understanding of the vocabulary in the text I Pledge of Allegiance. Students will develop their vocabulary knowledge through reading, writing, and their choice of performance or drawing.

This unit will help students identify or explain rights and responsibilities in their school community, ways to show respect during the Pledge of Allegiance, symbols of the United States, and demonstrate characteristics of responsible decision-making. Students will engage in a read-aloud over several days with lessons emphasizing text features, vocabulary, central idea, and similarities and differences between information provided visually and within the text. In addition, the teacher will facilitate research, students' presentations, and artwork as activities to help students demonstrate their knowledge of respect for the Pledge of Allegiance.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is lesson #2 in the text unit series I Pledge Allegiance. Students will explore the vocabulary words pledge, allegiance and republic from the Pledge of Allegiance and identify what a pledge is. Students will also be able to explain the similarities and differences of the visuals and text within the book I Pledge Allegiance. Students will identify a positive pledge, or promise, versus a negative pledge, regarding their rights and responsibilities within the classroom community.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

In lesson 3 of this unit, students will dive into reading the text, A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin by David Adler. Civics will be integrated throughout as students make connections and identify the topic and relevant details of Benjamin Franklin's childhood as well as incorporate multimedia into their written timelines to develop awareness of important life events. This is the third lesson in a unit using the text, A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin by David Adler.

This unit is focused on identifying Benjamin Franklin as the topic of the text. Civics is integrated through understanding that Benjamin Franklin represents the United States. Students will explore life in the 1700’s to gain background knowledge. Teacher will create an ongoing timeline to document the major events in Ben’s life as key details. Students will solve a real world problem through invention, create a newspaper article to spread news, write both an expository and opinion piece. The assessment for the unit will be a kite that is a graphic organizer for students to identify the topic and relevant details in a text.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

In lesson 5 of the text unit using A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin students will apply newly learned relevant details about Benjamin Franklin’s life, which includes his contributions to society such as his innovations through science and his printing press, to write facts in the form of a newspaper article.

This unit is focused on identifying Benjamin Franklin as the topic of the text. Civics is integrated through understanding that Benjamin Franklin represents the United States. Students will explore life in the 1700’s to gain background knowledge. Teacher will create an ongoing timeline to document the major events in Ben’s life as key details. Students will solve a real world problem through invention, create a newspaper article to spread news, write both an expository and opinion piece. The assessment for the unit will be a kite that is a graphic organizer for students to identify the topic and relevant details in a text.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

In lesson 6 of this unit, the teacher will continue reading A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin. Civics will be integrated throughout as students learn about the purpose of rules and laws in school, home, and community. Students will identify relevant details in order to make a connection with Benjamin Franklin, who stood up against a law that he felt was unfair, by writing their own opinion pieces about a fictitious rule.

This unit is focused on identifying Benjamin Franklin as the topic of the text. Civics is integrated through understanding that Benjamin Franklin represents the United States. Students will explore life in the 1700’s to gain background knowledge. Teacher will create an ongoing timeline to document the major events in Ben’s life as key details. Students will solve a real world problem through invention, create a newspaper article to spread news, write both an expository and opinion piece. The assessment for the unit will be a kite that is a graphic organizer for students to identify the topic and relevant details in a text.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this pre-reading lesson, lesson #1 of the text unit A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin, students will be introduced to the academic vocabulary word “Timeline” as well as vocabulary words that will be learned throughout the unit. Students' will use background knowledge of our class schedule to build a timeline of our day. Students are connecting the timeline of our day to a timeline of historical events, dating back to the 1700's, that focused on the life of Benjamin Franklin. This will help students understand the concept that Benjamin Franklin, an individual who represents the United States, is a person in history from another time long ago.

This unit is focused on identifying Benjamin Franklin as the topic of the text. Civics is integrated through understanding that Benjamin Franklin represents the United States. Students will explore life in the 1700’s to gain background knowledge. Teacher will create an ongoing timeline to document the major events in Ben’s life as key details. Students will solve a real world problem through invention, create a newspaper article to spread news, write both an expository and opinion piece. The assessment for the unit will be a kite that is a graphic organizer for students to identify the topic and relevant details in a text.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

This is the final lesson in the unit. Students will connect with Benjamin Franklin, after reading A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin by David Adler, as an individual who represents the United States and whose curiosity led to many great explorations and impactful inventions. Students will be designing, exploring and building a kite. Through the process and with trial and error, students will describe the way their object moves and generate explanations about why their kite did or did not fly.

This unit is focused on identifying Benjamin Franklin as the topic of the text. Civics is integrated through understanding that Benjamin Franklin represents the United States. Students will explore life in the 1700’s to gain background knowledge. Teacher will create an ongoing timeline to document the major events in Ben’s life as key details. Students will solve a real world problem through invention, create a newspaper article to spread news, write both an expository and opinion piece. The assessment for the unit will be a kite that is a graphic organizer for students to identify the topic and relevant details in a text.

This resource uses a book that is on the Florida Department of Education's reading list. This book is not provided with this resource.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will describe the main character using adjectives, determine if his actions throughout the community are responsible or irresponsible, and generate a list of responsible citizenship traits, in this integrated ELA and Civics lesson plan.

This is part 1 of 3 in a series of lessons based on the book What If Everybody Did That?

Type: Lesson Plan

Did you know that chickens are amazing animals? You will after reading the book, From Egg to Chicken by Gerald Legg. Students will identify nonfiction text features, answer text-dependent questions, and sequence the life cycle of a chicken. They will then compose an expository piece of writing about what they've learned in during these reading lessons.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will use What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page to identify the main topic and relavant details. Students will complete a 3-2-1 card, a group poster and presentation, and an independent expository writing piece to demonstrate their new learning about some amazing animals.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this reading lesson, students will complete activities centered around the text, What Plants Need. Students will identify the topic and multiple details, answer discussion questions, and write an expository paragraph about what they have learned.

Type: Lesson Plan

Using nonfiction texts, students will be able to identify and locate text features and explain how they help the reader better understand the text. They will engage in a variety of activities to search for and use text features.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will participate in multiple readings of the text A Tree Is a Plant by Clyde Robert Bulla, They will complete a K-W-L chart about trees, answer text dependent questions in pairs, and learn about the parts of a paragraph when writing their own expository text. This paragraph will include a topic sentence, supporting details, and a conclusion. This lesson provides great background information and extension activities to support learning in science as well as reading!

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will complete a KWL chart about bears with a few bear hunts in between. After they learn about topics and details, they will read a book about bears. Using their knew knowledge they will write a five-sentence paragraph. This paragraph will contain a topic sentence, three facts, and a closing sentence. Students will be given a checklist to assess their work.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson focuses on using text features to understand nonfiction text, specifically the Scholastic News Nonfiction Reader: Helping Out by Peggy Hock. The students will examine the particular text features found within the text and will organize the information read in a concept map. They will then use the concept map to write an expository paragraph about ways we can protect Earth.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will learn about the important jobs of the community helpers in their city or neighborhood. After reading Whose Tools Are These? and Helpers in Your Neighborhood, they will write an expository paragraph about a helper of their choice.

Type: Lesson Plan

This unit focuses on using text features to understand non-fiction text, specifically National Geographic Reader: Frogs! by Elizabeth Carney. The students will participate in a whole group activity where a portion of text will be analyzed for its topic and details and the teacher will write a paragraph about it using shared writing. The students will then apply the skills they learned as they create a topic and detail table and write an expository paragraph.

Type: Lesson Plan

Students will use the book, On a Farm by Alexa Andrews to practice identifying the topic and details of a text. Through the use of a bubble map and a student response sheet, students will record their learning after exploring the book. Student work will be appreciated at the end of the lesson with a gallery walk.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will learn about mammals using the book Mammals by Melissa Stewart. Through this book, the students will practice identifying and using text features to understand the text, as well as determine key details and main idea. The students will then create a newspaper article about a mammal of their choice using the main ideas, key details, and text features from Mammals.

Type: Lesson Plan

In the first lesson in this series, students practiced identifying a topic and multiple details about brown bears. Now the students will learn about polar bears using a K-W-L chart and a non-fiction text. Students will practice recalling details and using full sentences to share new learning with a partner.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson focuses on writing a summary using the topic and relevant details through the reading of a nonfiction text on bird beaks.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson is intended to support students in finding the topic and relevant details in a text, also exposing students to the role and importance of scientists. Using an informational text, students will read about what scientists do and why they are important. After reading about scientists, students will write a summary identifying the topic and relevant details from the text. Then, they will share their summaries with partners in the classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Through the use of nonfiction text, students will gather information from the text, create a KEL (Know/Expect to Know/Learned) chart, and participate in small group discussions. Students will use the information learned to create an expository writing piece about shell animals.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will work with two texts, Starfish by Edith Thacher Hurd and Discovering Starfish by Lorijo Metz. As they learn facts about starfish, they will also discuss an important text feature that readers use. Students will write an expository paragraph about starfish to culminate their learning.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, students will practice identifying the topic and details in a nonfiction text about polar bears. They will work at completing a K-W-L chart with the teacher to help organize their thinking and think of questions that they have about this amazing animal. Students will also complete an independent assignment where they draw a picture of the topic and two details that they learned demonstrating what they have learned.

Type: Lesson Plan

This lesson focuses on using text features to understand nonfiction text, specifically the National Geographic Reader: Polar Bears, by Laura Marsh. The students will use a text features anchor chart to support student understanding of how these features contribute to the meaning of a text. Students will read and take notes to answer specific questions about the text and use those notes to write a paragraph about polar bears.

Type: Lesson Plan

Explore the parts of a book in this interactive tutorial. Join Li as she learns to locate and use the text features on the title page, table of contents, and glossary in informational books.

This is part 2 of a 2-part series. Click HERE to open Part 1.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Explore the parts of a book in this interactive tutorial. Join Li as she learns to locate and use the text features on the title page and table of contents in informational books.

This is part 1 of a 2-part series. Click HERE to open Part 2.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Use titles and headings to predict the topic of informational text and to find specific information within the text in this interactive tutorial. 

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Identify the reasons an author gives to support his or her opinion in a text in this interactive tutorial. Then read along as Olivia and Oliver write their opinions and reasons to help their parents choose the best pet for their family.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Identify information found in the illustrations and the words in a text with this interactive ocean-themed tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Identify key details as you answer questions about informational text in this interactive tutorial. Join Sam as he explores the seashore and answers who, what, where, and when questions about sea stars, sea urchins, hermit crabs, horseshoe crabs, and other sea-related topics.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Identify paragraphs in a text, use key details to identify the topic of a paragraph, and identify the main topic of a multi-paragraph text using the topics and details from each paragraph in this Florida-themed interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

In this activity, students will identify the main topic and key details in a text.

Type: Student Center Activity

In this activity, students will locate book titles, then sort them into fiction and nonfiction categories.

Type: Student Center Activity